Merton’s young people receive Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

A record 300 young people from Merton celebrated achieving their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at a special ceremony last week (Wednesday 7 May).

The event, held at Rutlish High School, was hosted by young people and they spoke highly about their experiences of taking part and what it meant to them achieving the award. Each person was presented with a certificate to mark the completion of the initiative.

Some of the activities young people from Merton took part in this year included volunteering at schools and charity shops, gardening and sports leadership. Sports of all sorts were completed, and new skills learnt in diverse areas such as pottery, website design, playing a wide variety of musical instruments and film making. There were also some intrepid residential trips to Tanzania and Ghana as well expeditions to Ashdown Forest, Box Hill, and the South Downs and further afield to Cumbria, Brecon Beacons and even to Finland and Mongolia.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a national scheme that provides a rewarding personal development programme for young people aged 14 to 25 years. Young people are given the opportunity to get involved in a wide variety of leisure, learning and voluntary activities that are both challenging and enjoyable.

Merton’s director of children, schools and families, Yvette Stanley said: “Well done to all our young people received their gold, silver and bronze level awards. It is great to see more young people taking up the programme and challenging themselves.”

For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme in Merton visit www.merton.gov.uk/dofe or call Carol Curtis on 020 8274 5828.